Off The Record
Curious Dog Wouldn’t Leave Storm Drain Alone—Then They Opened It
On their way to work every morning, a familiar sight caused many to stop as the sun rose over Meadowbrook’s rooftops. Every day, in front of the same storm drain, a lone golden retriever with soft brown eyes and a soft wag in his tail would trot along Maple Street.
He usually stood at the edge of the metal grate, looking down into the shadows with a silent, almost human concern in his eyes, but no one knew why or where he came from.
They referred to him as Benny.
Benny was a local favorite, despite the fact that he was collarless and obviously unowned. Even the sour old postman gave him bread crusts when no one was watching, the florist once knitted him a winter scarf, and the coffee shop employees left him bowls of water.
He was kind. He didn’t beg or bark. He just purposefully roamed the streets, always coming to rest by the storm drain.
Nobody gave it much thought. Perhaps he enjoyed the chilly air from below or had dropped something there before. Until everything changed on a wet Wednesday afternoon.
It started a few days ago.
A tiny apartment above the hardware store had recently been occupied by Annie Carter. After years of accumulating money and working as a freelancer, she was finally beginning her new career as a graphic designer at the age of 27. Normally, her days consisted of coffee, work, and groceries, but on Monday, she was transformed by a set of sorrowful eyes.
She saw Benny sitting quietly outside the window as she carried a bag of steaks home from the butcher store. As the door opened, his ears pricked up, but he stayed away. He did nothing except observe.
Then she heard it: a quiet whine, followed by a loud gurgle from his stomach.
She felt a little heartbreak.
Taking a bone she had obtained for soup stock from her suitcase, she carefully offered it to him. “Hey, friend… Are you hungry?”
At first, Benny gave her a suspicious look, but the scent was too alluring. He moved forward, picked up the bone carefully, gave it a single tail-wagging motion, and then, strangely, trotted away without consuming it.
Annie’s head cocked. “Oh. All right. That’s odd.”
Until the following day, she didn’t give it any thought.
On Tuesday, it occurred once more. This time, Benny saw her across the street after she had just left the bakery with a paper bag of warm buns. Clearly remembering her, he raced over, his tail swinging like a pendulum.
She laughed and took out some sausages she had packed in case something went wrong. “Look who’s returned! I have something for you.”
He accepted them, but like before, he refrained from eating them. With a sense of urgency, he turned and started walking.
She hesitated at something about his actions.
Annie was ready on Wednesday. Before leaving, she stuffed a plastic container with fresh chicken and put it in her purse.
Benny was indeed there, patiently waiting close to the hardware store. She didn’t let him leave her sight when she gave him the chicken this time.
She trailed behind.
Benny seemed unconcerned. Sometimes he glanced back to make sure she was still there, and then he continued to trot on. As he guided her past the bakery, down an alley, and eventually to the storm drain, his fur swayed softly.
He let the fowl fall.
squarely into the grates.
Annie let out a gasp. “What are you doing?”
With his tail motionless and his ears alert, Benny lay down next to the drain and looked into the darkness.
Annie dropped on her knees and listened. She didn’t hear anything at first. Then there was a sound. faint. delicate. A gentle mew.
She lurched to her feet.
“Those—are they kittens?”
As though to corroborate her suspicion, Benny barked only once.
With her pulse pounding, Annie sprang to her feet and dialed the local fire station.
Twenty minutes later, a red truck with whirling lights and no sirens drew up. A small group of people, including shopkeepers, neighbors, and even some kids from the nearby daycare, had started to assemble.
Two fireman listened while kneeling by the sewer. After nodding, one started the careful procedure of using gloves and a crowbar to remove the hefty grating.
Everyone held their breath.
Eventually, with a flashlight in hand, one of the firefighters cautiously descended. After a few tense minutes, he cried out, “We have them! Five of them. Living!”
Everyone in the crowd let out a gasp of relief. The firefighter came out a moment later, holding a wet, shivering bundle.
little kittens. Just a few weeks old, at most.
Benny wagged his tail wildly and barked once more. With eagerness and obvious worry, he sniffed and nudged the kittens as he wriggled out of Annie’s soft hold and raced directly to the firefighter.
People started to understand at that point.
They had been fed by this dog.
Benny had been taking food to the drain every day, not for himself, but for these poor critters stuck below. After the torrential rains carried them into the storm system, he must have heard their mewling and somehow, out of instinct, decided to keep them alive.
Annie’s eyes began to well up with tears.
She said, “He’s been saving them.”
Grinning, the firefighter put the kittens inside a box lined with blankets. “They would never have made it if it weren’t for this dog.”
As though he knew his task was finally accomplished, Benny sat next to the crate, calm and proud.
The following morning, the tale made headlines.
The Meadowbrook Herald’s banner said, “Local Dog Saves Kittens from Storm Drain.” The front page was splattered with a picture of Benny sitting guardedly close to the kitten box.
Annie was thinking about him all the time.
One of the kittens, whom she named Misty, was adopted by her. Neighbors who had been on the scene that day provided caring homes for the others.
However, there was still a question: what about Benny?
Annie made her choice a week later.
Reaching the alley where Benny normally slept, she knelt down and offered a fresh collar and a leash.
“Hey, hero. Do you want to return home?”
After glancing up at her and then at the leash, Benny stepped forward a few paces. His eyes met hers, filled with devotion and something more profound.
There was no need to ask him twice.
Benny is currently sleeping at Annie’s bedside. He has a full belly, a cozy blanket, and a small kitty that sleeps on his back every night.
When neighbors see the two strolling along Maple Street, Benny jogging boldly beside Annie, and Misty perched in a carrying bag, they continue to smile.
Even while he no longer looks into the storm drain every day, Benny occasionally stops there for a little moment, seemingly in remembrance of the lives he saved.
Because love always finds a way, even in the most difficult circumstances.
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